| Initially I was blind sided by Alpine
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| | glimpses of passing wildflowers, but
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| daisies and Digitalis (foxglove) passing
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| | watch the road, too. Bicycling is a
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| themselves off as wildflowers, much less
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| | springtime fancy that brings hoards of
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| the other fabulous scenery on the North
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| | them into the mountains. They do what
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| Cascades Highway, and then they showed up
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| | they do for more than exercise and
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| again. I turned the tables on them
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| | health. Funding good causes comes into
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| though and made a pass. I don't commonly
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| | play.Covered with Douglas fir, many of
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| make passes at bikers, but in this case,
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| | the surrounding peaks, such as Liberty
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| it was a must. I went around them.
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| | Bell Mountain, Ruby Mountain, and Early
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| Bikers. The non-motorized kind.I hit the
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| | Winters Spires tower in the high 7,000
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| brake often for resting bicyclers and
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| | elevation range. My first time in
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| continued searching, as I drove, for the
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| | northwestern Washington and writings
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| perfect shot of wildflowers. My "kill
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| | stating European images came to light.
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| two birds with one stone" mentality
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| | It is truly awesome. Bicyclists benefit
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| needed Ross Lake as a backdrop.I ducked
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| | from unobstructed views and find safety
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| out of traffic last spring when I got off
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| | quickly even from wild drivers like
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| the ferry and dipped onto South Chuckanut
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| | myself.The humid side of Washington was
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| Drive. For approximately twenty-five
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| | about to end when Dry Falls appeared.
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| miles I was in another world with narrow,
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| | The eastern leg of northern Washington is
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| winding roads under a canopy of trees and
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| | dry, flat, agricultural land stirred up
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| there I wanted to stay. I passed under
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| | by high winds that creates "dust devils".
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| Highway 5 near exit 231, hung a right
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| | They are ultra-mini tornadoes that whip
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| onto Burlington Boulevard and left on
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| | the land into some sort of shape. The
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| Avon Avenue (Highway 20), headed east,
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| | foreboding look of three or more can be
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| back to Colorado. No traffic, feeling a
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| | seen at any given time throwing a fit on
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| bit lost even with a map, another sixty
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| | the horizon blending yellow, brown dust
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| miles and I slowed down even more. I was
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| | with cerulean blue sky.According to
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| in the Cascades.My mind filled with a
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| | Washington State Parks, Dry Falls is one
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| flash of Concretia from the Flintstones
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| | of North America's geological wonders.
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| movie along the way, when I passed
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| | Dry Falls is a cliff over three miles
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| through the town of Concrete. There is
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| | long and 400 foot high and was once ten
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| not much to it but history, folklore and
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| | times larger than Niagara. The Colombia
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| a garish cement stack with bold lettering
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| | River used to rush through here.On one
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| no one can miss. Concrete sits below
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| | free-fall, in neutral down a steep,
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| Baker Dam and the base of Lake Shannon.
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| | winding grade on the North Cascades
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| The bikers were beginning to add up as I
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| | Highway, there they were. And again,
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| passed more and drove another twenty-six
| |
| | when I rounded a corner at Sun Lakes-Dry
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| miles, through Marblemount, climbing,
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| | Falls State Park, and once again before I
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| climbing. Gorge Dam and its long, narrow
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| | crossed into Idaho. Still headed
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| Gorge Lake, then Diablo Dam created more
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| | eastbound on Highway 20 just leaving
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| than fifty-years ago, and Diablo Lake,
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| | Coulee City headed to Spokane, on the
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| and further on and above, Ross Lake, all
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| | flat, dry plains, faces of the bikers
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| a sparkle of deep blue.A labor of love
| |
| | were becoming recognizable. I filled up
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| goes into building our roadways so
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| | every two hundred miles or so from
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| travelers like me can see the grandeur of
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| | Washington to Colorado and began to think
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| our country. North Cascades Highway was
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| | my speedometer was broken because the
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| completed in1972 after twelve years. Down
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| | same bikers were everywhere I was. Were
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| one particularly steep grade around a
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| | they following me? My curiosity was
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| switchback the view of Ross Lake takes
| |
| | piqued, because I just couldn't shake
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| your breath away. It spans into Canada
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| | them all the way through Washington.I
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| for a mile and a half. Access is only
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| | began to hallucinate seeing bikers in
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| available on the U.S. side.Six passes on
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| | Montana, thinking, they were still
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| and around this route reach elevations
| |
| | following me. So, here it was ten
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| between 4,000 to 5,500 feet. Sherman
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| | o'clock at night, I pulled off at a state
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| Pass is the highest, followed by North
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| | campground, plopped ten dollars in an
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| Cascade, Loup Loup, Wauconda, Rainy, and
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| | envelope, pitched my tent, and dreamed of
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| Washington. Passes are monitored for
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| | bikers.This link covers a bike tour that
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| weather changes, but expect Loup Loup
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| | lasted 71 days and 4,224 miles starting
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| Pass to remain open year round. Like
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| | at Anacortes, Washington and ending in
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| Ross Lake, Loup Loup Pass goes into
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| | Bar Harbor, Maine.
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| Canada. From Marblemount to the end of
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| | account of one of the bikers who took
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| the Cascades on this highway fifty-six
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| | the Washington route.
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| more miles awaited as I continued to
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| | in biking across the entire United
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| dodge bikers.I recommend springtime
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| | States contact:
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| travel, more tourists and travelers flock
| |
| |
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| here in the summer. Mid-April through
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| | State only:
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| late June is the time to reduce
| |
| |
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| distractions, catch craggy peaks, and
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| | to Mt. St. Helens?
|
